As the NFL places more and more games in London, the whispers have grown louder for England to secure a franchise to call its own.

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Despite the logistical obstacles an NFL team based in London would face, Roger Goodell says the reality of an overseas club is sooner than you might think.

"It depends on if we continue to see that growth and how fast it goes," the NFL Commissioner told NFL Media's Alex Flanagan on NFL Total Access on Thursday. "We couldn't be happier with what we are seeing.

"We actually couldn't be more surprised by the tremendous demand for NFL football in London and the U.K. in general and frankly even Europe. It's not something I think is 15 or 20 years away, it could be five or 10 years away."

The NFL will play a record three games in London this season, topping the previous high of two. Patriots owner Robert Kraft was bullish on a team in London in comments at a Thursday Night Football panel Thursday. He told Flangan he'd like to see a "franchise in London before the decade's out."

It could be a matter of when -- not if -- London obtains its very own team.